Have you heard of the INAPAM Discount Card for Senior Citizens?

yucatantimes.com

One of the most popular programs that senior citizens enroll for in Mexico is the INAPAM (Instituto Nacional para las Personas Adultas Mayores) discount card. This is offered to all Mexicans and foreign residents who are 60 years of age or older and enables them to enjoy very worthwhile discounts on a whole range of goods and services including food, medicines, transport, clothing, as well as recreation and leisure activities.

The program recognizes that retired people living on fixed incomes need financial support to help them keep their costs under control. More and more firms and businesses are actively advertising the fact that they offer discounts to INAPAM card holders, and even those who don’t may well introduce a discount on goods and services you buy if you present your card to them. Many organizations are very pleased to give seniors a discount, and the card is a means to prove your residency and qualification status.

Once enrolled, you receive a plastic card that, when presented at thousands of stores, businesses and government service agencies across Mexico, offers you significant discounts of between 10% and 50% on goods and services you buy; and an increasing number of municipalities are also offering discounts on property taxes and water bills.

Here are some examples of the services that offer discounts:

Healthcare: Many pharmacies give discounts on medications (medicines are already much less expensive in Mexico than the US, and these discounts are in addition to the lower prices Americans enjoy here), and some dentists and doctors and other medical specialists will also give seniors a discount

Public Transportation: Bus companies, airlines, and taxi firms offer discounts on fares

Food and Groceries: Local food stores, convenience stores, and specialist food emporiums offer discounts on your grocery shopping, saving you more money on your basic living costs

Leisure: Many hotels and travel agencies in Mexico offer discounts to senior citizens who present the card; also recreation parks (like Six Flags Mexico). If you plan a party, many of the party rooms (salon de fiestas) offer a discount on rentals to seniors

Eating Out: Many cafes and diners, including the national chains Vips and Toks, offer discounts to INAPAM card holders

Culture: Many museums, archaeology parks, art galleries, and bookstores offer discounts to card holders

Miscellany: A whole raft of businesses offer seniors a discount when they present their card, for example, legal firms, art & craft stores, car service and repair centers, computer sales and repair stores, clothing and apparel stores, accountants, construction firms, hardware stores, florists, printers, locksmiths, jewellery stores, beauty salons, DIY centers, stationers, plumbers, electricians, dry cleaners, veterinary services, etc.

Discount on Property Taxes and Water Bills: Increasing numbers of municipalities are offering seniors a discount on their annual property taxes (Predial) and their water bills. Discounts, where offered, vary by municipality.

INAPAM Discount Card for Senior Citizens

The card is available to all seniors who are 60 years or older. It’s simple and free to apply for the card.

You will need to present some official identification, like a passport or driver’s license, your birth certificate and, as a foreigner, you will also need to present your old FM3/FM2 or your new Temporary or Permanent Residency permit. You will also be asked for a utility bill or some other document that shows your current address in Mexico.

You take these documents (as well as 2 photocopies of each) along with three passport-sized photographs of yourself to your local government office dealing with INAPAM applications (check locally where you live) and, when the application is completed, you will be presented with a card that you can use to obtain the discounts. The government staffs a helpline that is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays, to answer questions you may have, and the call is free from inside Mexico: 01 800 007 3705.

You can find additional information online about the application process here. The page is in Spanish, and you can use the Google page translation feature if you need to.

Basic living costs in Mexico are already lower than those in the US, Canada and Europe. With the INAPAM card, seniors can enjoy additional discounts, and thus help to make their fixed incomes stretch even further in retirement.

Source: http://www.mexperience.com/

Mexico Travel For Seniors – Tips For a Safe, Healthy, Worry-Free Vacation

coleccionesmexicanas.org

We are often asked by seniors or by those wishing to travel with an older relative whether or not it is wise to choose Mexico as a destination. The answer is an enthusiastic Yes!… with a little fine print.

Mexico is a delightful place for seniors to travel. The people in general are gracious and happy to welcome foreign visitors. The culture is vibrant and festive, and there are very few places on earth where one can see as much history and natural beauty. In fact, Mexico remains today the number one expatriate retirement choice for citizens of both the US and Canada, in spite of the much publicized recent troubles with Swine Flu and drug trade related violence.

For most senior travelers, the biggest concern with whether or not they are going to get sick. Fortunately, with a little advance preparation and a few precautions on the road, you can enjoy all the country has to offer without missing a beat.

The first and most important preventative measure is to see your doctor before leaving home. Just do it. Your physician knows your history and will also be up to date on latest medical news. Follow his or her advice. Make sure you receive the proper inoculations and vaccinations. This precaution is fundamental.

Montezuma’s Revenge

After your visit to the doctor’s office, it’s time to deal with more mundane issues. First among these is the universal concern with Montezuma’s Revenge, aka the tourista, or “traveler’s diarrhea” which results from consuming tainted food or water. Though usually not serious, the tourista is extremely unpleasant, and takes at least twenty four hours to run its course, leaving its victims weak and gun-shy about experimenting with the local cuisine.

At the risk of sounding unsympathetic: anyone who comes down with the tourista in Mexico today is just not being careful. Just know the lay of the land. Mexico is not a third world country, but it is a country in development. Over the last twenty years, great strides have been made in improving hygiene, and this is especially true in the many tourist zones.

To avoid the tourista, follow these simple precautions:

- Give yourself a few days to allow your system to adjust. One of our favorite treats in Mexico is the delicious street food, but when you first arrive, stick to the restaurants that obviously cater to foreign guests.
- Be careful with unpeeled fruits and vegetables. Fortunately, it’s longer necessary to eliminate them from your diet while traveling in Mexico, and what a shame that would be! Throughout the country there is an abundance of wonderful produce served in ways that tempt the palate, serve up healthy doses of vitamins and other nutrients, and help keep your system hydrated. But it is important to check to make sure that all unpeeled produce has been sterilized by washing in disinfected water. If you are ever in doubt, never hesitate to ask. Don’t worry about offending your waiter…It’s worth it, believe me!
- Pack appropriate medicines. Pick up an anti-diarrheal at your local pharmacy and bring along a bottle of analgesic. A good multi-vitamin will ensure that you’re not missing essential nutrients while savoring an unfamiliar cuisine. If you forget to pack these items, don’t worry: there’s are pharmacies everywhere in Mexico and they are almost always first rate.
- Stay hydrated. This goes for everyone who travels to Mexico, regardless of age. It’s a hot place, and it’s very easy to dry out. Make sure you always have plenty of bottled water on hand at all times and take it easy with diuretic beverages such as alcohol, coffee, and cola.

Swine FluAgain, the best advice here is to talk to your doctor. Having said that, it is clear that the Swine Flu, while officially a pandemic, turns out to be no worse than the more common viruses that appear every year during flu season. The good news for senior travelers is that, statistically, we are less likely to catch the Swine Flu than those who are younger. As we age, our immune systems become more mature and develop a greater ability to resist infections such as the flu virus.

Other serious disease.

There are localized, sporadic outbreaks of more serious disease in Mexico, but they are rare and generally only occur in isolated areas. Your pre-departure inoculations should keep you safe, but if you’re still concerned, just stay on the beaten track. There is a great deal to see in Mexico in places that the government has carefully developed to welcome foreign visitors. Expeditions to more remote locations, jungle or heavily forested areas prone to mosquito infestations, for example, do carry additional risks. We would never categorically exclude traveling to these areas, they are some of the best places of all, but they do require extra preparation and care. If this kind of travel is on your itinerary, tell your doctor.

Mexico is for most extranjeros a largely undiscovered, romantic, fascinating world of adventure. It’s a country to fall in love with. With just a little foresight, you can be sure that your trip will be safe, healthy, and worry-free.

My name is John Lord. My wife Alma, a native of Puebla, Mexico, and I divide our time between the NY metro area and Mexico. Today, we specialize in cultural tourism, with a focus on the Yucatan. We also collect Mexican artesanias (hand crafts) and conduct cooking classes in Mexican regional cuisine.

We maintain a website dedicated to helping senior travelers enjoy the endless variety and delight of Mexico.